


Beyond Failure

by Clockwork



Series: Casting Spells [5]
Category: American Horror Story: Coven
Genre: Amnesia, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Romance, Slow Burn, Witchcraft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-26 09:41:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15660630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clockwork/pseuds/Clockwork
Summary: The swamps draw Misty back and help her to reconnect to what's been lost.





	Beyond Failure

It started slowly, so much so that if a person wasn’t watching intently, they might not even notice. The thing was, Cordelia was always watching.

She watched when Misty moved like a wraith about the greenhouse, talking to one plant and then another, pinching dead leaves here and toying with the soil on another. She spoke softly, murmuring under her breath, and it wasn’t long before Cordelia was able to pick up the words and recognize them. They were an old spell, one passed down from herbalist to witch and back again to help plants to grow strong and healthy. It was a spell Cordelia herself used, but hadn’t since they had brought Misty back from the tomb.

Another day when she was sitting with the girls at meal when they were whining about the chill. She lifted her hand without thinking towards the fireplace, causing it to roar to life with a warming fire. Misty blinked, as did the novices there with them. Queenie laughed, catching Cordelia’s eye and giving her a nod. Cordelia knew her own smile lit up her face, brightening a countenance that had been dark with worry since that night.

Every day there were changes, memories that came back to Misty day by day. Even if she wasn’t aware as they became part of her once more. The magic abilities she had been gaining during the Seven Wonders. Songs that had been as ingrained into her as names and family were part of others. Slowly they were coming back to Misty, even if she isn’t aware. Even if she isn’t sure when they talk at night in the greenhouse, Cordelia telling Misty about the plants, about the meanings and uses and what all they can do for others… and watching closely for any sign of recognition in the other witch’s eyes. 

When they came, they were small, infrequent, and yet they lit up Cordelia’s heart like a fire.

Until the day that Cordelia came down from breakfast and Misty was not there with the others. She wasn’t in her room, and the greenhouse only held plants and the last workings of whatever Misty had been working on. 

Cordelia called the girls together and, as a coven and friends, they searched the entirety of the house, top to bottom. They found a few secrets left behind by former Supremes, but nothing of the witch Misty Day. 

Zoe though was gathering the car keys and their coats. She caught up with Cordelia in the greenhouse. Her supreme was frenzied and on the verge of tears.

“Come on,” she said, catching Cordelia’s hand. “I know where she is.”

It took no time at all getting there. Zoe had gone there often enough in Kyle’s early days returned that she knew the quickest route, not caring that they could’ve walked. If she’s right and Misty was there, who knew what state she might be in with memories returned. Though, when they arrived at the path that led to the shack in the swamps, Zoe refused to go. She pointed Cordelia the right away, offering to stay with the car. Offering to give them privacy. 

Cordelia hurried off, terrified of what she might find in the small cabin. Worse, she worried about that she would find nothing there. No sign of Misty since her return. If she wasn’t here, there was a huge city she could be lost in, and no way of finding her until it might be too late. Thankfully, it wasn’t a concern she need have. 

Pausing at the door of the shack, she found Misty sitting in the middle of the floor. Her hands were muddy and her face was tear streaked, still sobbing softly as she rocked back and forth to the music that she hummed under her breath. 

“Misty?” 

Her lips barely moved, the single word catching in her throat, thick and pained with tears she feared shedding. Tears she had fought not to shed since the moment Misty had been returned to them. Even since the moment she left them. A Supreme could be loving and soft, but she had to accept the order of things. Misty’s death had been part of the order of things, but that didn’t mean that Cordelia stopped mourning her. Not for a single moment. Not even now. 

“Cordelia!”

The word was like a prayer, leaping to her feet and launching herself into Cordelia’s arms. Cordelia caught her, clinging tight to Misty’s trembling frame, holding so tight she feared she would hurt her. Not caring about the mud, about her position, about the propriety of it all. Just caring that Misty was alive, and much more well than she had been before. Even a single day before. 

“I failed. I’m so sorry. I thought I was strong enough but if I had been, you might not be Supreme but… I failed.”

“You remember.”

The words were a benediction, a moment of love and joy as she leaned back, just enough so that she could cup Misty’s cheek in one hand and meet her gaze. 

“And you did not fail. Well, I mean, you did, but not me. You didn’t fail me, and I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.”

“But you did. I’m here. You did save me, Cordelia,” she whispered, moving to take both of Cordelia’s hands in her own, neither of them caring about the mud on her hands. Instead there was just a need to see Cordelia’s face even as Misty didn’t want to let go. Even as she frowned as Cordelia looked away. “You did save me. I’m here.”

“No. No I didn’t. Queenie did. She went to Papa Legba for you. She… she traded him Fiona’s soul to get you out of Hell, but then we didn’t do it right and you came back and you didn’t even know who we were.”

“But I do now,” she insisted, squeezing Cordelia’s hands. “However you did it, you brought me back.”

Maybe it was knowing death so intimately, so many times. Maybe it was the relief of being whole, of being herself. In the end though, it came from emotions that had been there since the moment they met, since they shared magic in the greenhouse.

Misty leaned up, her hand releasing Cordelia’s only so that she could cup the back of her neck. Leaning into her, kissing the Supreme tenderly as if afraid that time and magic wouldn’t be enough to hold her together for this kiss. 

It was something she had wanted to do for so long, and the memory of that desire had driven her to this place. Driven her to come and find the healing muds that she herself had tended to. Brought her to a place where she had found happiness, had known joy, and had started forging her bond with the coven before she even knew that they were truly her tribe.

A deep flush stained Cordelia’s cheeks as the kiss broke, her smile enough to light up her features and bring a bright, bubbling laugh to her lips as her hand touched Misty’s cheek once more. Tracing the line of mud there, laughing once more as she was reminded that the power of the Supreme still did not compare to that of nature, and of emotions. 

“We should get this place ready for you,” Cordelia said softly. “I want you to stay with us but you need this place as well. You’re the swamps, Misty, and you’re a witch. You’re one of us, and you are yourself. I want you to have both.”

“I’d like that,” she said, grinning up at Cordelia. “Only though if you agree to come here with me sometimes. Even Supreme’s need a break. Or we can call it a working day out,” she teased, laughter making her tones light and airy in a way Cordelia had not thought possibly again since Hell. 

“Any time you’ll have me here,” she assured Misty, leaning in for another kiss.

Someone cleared their throat from nearby.

“Uhmmm, not to break up the reunion or anything,” Zoe said, looking paler than usual as both witches looked her way. “But, uhmm, we’ve got a problem. We’ve got to get back. Now.”


End file.
